[The book of Abraham was published in the periodical, "Times and Seasons"
beginning in March 1842. For an analysis of the text download the commentary
at: http://www.boap.math.byu.edu]
THE TIMES AND SEASONS.
"Truth will prevail."
Vol. III No. 9] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. MARCH, 1, 1842 [Whole No. 45
A FACSIMILE FROM THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM NO. 1.
[Not included in ascii format]
EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE CUT.
Fig. 1, The Angel of the Lord.
2. Abraham, fastened upon an Altar.
3. The Idolatrous Priest of Elkenah attempting to offer up
Abraham as a sacrifice.
4. The Altar for sacrifice, by the Idolatrous Priests,
standing before the Gods of Elkenah, Libnah, Mahmachrah,
Korash, and Pharaoh.
5. The Idolatrous God of Elkenah.
6. The " " " Libnah.
7. The " " " Mahmachrah.
8. The " " " Korash.
9. The " " " Pharaoh.
10. Abraham in Egypt.
11. Designed to represent the pillars of Heaven, as understood by the
Egyptians.
12. Raukeeyang, signifying expanse, or the firmament, over our heads;
but in this case, in relation to this subject, the Egyptians
meant it to signify Shamau, to be high, or in the heavens:
answering to the Hebrew word, Shaumahyeem.
A TRANSLATION
Of some ancient Records that have fallen into our hands, from the Catacombs of
Egypt, purporting to be the writings of Abraham, while he was in Egypt, called the
BOOK OF ABRAHAM, written by his own hand, upon papyrus.
The Book of Abraham.
1. (1:1)In the land of the Chaldeans, at the residence of my father, I, Abraham, saw
that it was needful for me to obtain another place of residence, (1:2) and finding there
was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers
and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself
a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and
to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a
father of many nations, a prince of peace; and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep
the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a high priest, holding the right
belonging to the fathers,(1:3) it was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down
from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the
foundations of the earth, to the present time, even the right of the first born, on the first
man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers, unto me.
2. (1:4) I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the
appointment of God unto the fathers, concerning the seed. (1:5) My fathers having turned
from their righteousness, and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God
had given unto them, unto the worshipping of the Gods of the heathens, utterly refused to
hearken to my voice;(1:6) for their hearts were set to do evil, and were wholly turned to
the God of Elkenah, and the God of Libnah, and the God of Mahmackrah, and the God of
Korash, and the God of Pharaoh, King of Egypt; (1:7) therefore they turned their hearts to
the sacrifice of the heathen in offering up their children unto their dumb idols, and
hearkened not unto my voice but endeavored to take away my life by the hand of the
priest of Elkenah; the priest of Elkenah was also the priest of Pharaoh.
3. (1:8) Now, at this time it was the custom of the priest of Pharaoh, the King of
Egypt to offer up upon the altar which was built in the land of Chaldea, for the offering
unto these strange gods, both men, women and children. (1:9) And it came to pass that
the priest made an offering unto the god of Pharaoh, and also unto the God of Shagreel,
even after the manner of the Egyptians. Now the God of Shagreel was the Sun. (1:10)
Even the thank-offering of a child did the priest of Pharaoh offer upon the altar, which
stood by the hill called Potiphar's Hill, at the head of the plain of Olishem. (1:11) Now,
this priest had offered upon this altar three virgins at one time, who were the daughters of
Onitah, one of the Royal descent, directly from the loins of Ham. These virgins were
offered up because of their virtue; they would not bow down to worship Gods of wood or
of stone, therefore they were killed upon this altar, and it was done after the manner of
the Egyptians.
4. (1:12) And it come [sic] to pass that the priests laid violence upon me, that they
might slay me, also, as they did those virgins, upon this altar; and that you might have a
knowledge of this altar, I will refer you to the representation at the commencement of this
record. (1:13) It was made after the form of a bedstead, such as was had among the
Chaldeans, and it stood before the gods of Elkenah, Libnah, Mahmackrah, Korash, & also
a God like unto that of Pharaoh King of Egypt. (1:14) That you may have an
understanding of these Gods, I have given you the fashion of them in the figures, at the
beginning, which manner of the figures is called by the Chaldeans Rahleenos, which
signifies Hyeroglyphics [sic].
5. (1:15) And as they lifted up their hands upon me, that they might offer me up, and
take away my life, behold, I lifted up my voice unto the Lord my God; and the Lord
hearkened and heard, and he filled me with a vision of the Almighty, and the angel of his
presence stood by me, and immediately unloosed my bands, (1:16) and his voice was
unto me, Abram! Abram! behold, my name is JEHOVAH, and I have heard thee, and
have come down to deliver thee, and to take thee away from thy fathers house, and from
all thy kin-folks, into a strange land, which thou knowest not of, (1:17) and this because
they have turned their hearts away from me, to worship the God of Elkenah, and the God
of Libnah, & the God of Mahmackrah, & the God of Korash, and the God of Pharaoh
King of Egypt; therefore I have come down to visit them, and to destroy him who hath
lifted up his hand against thee, Abram, my son, to take away thy life: (1:18) Behold I will
lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the
priesthood of thy father: and my power shall be over thee; (1:19) as it was with Noah so
shall it be with thee; that through thy ministry my name shall be known in the earth
forever, for I am thy God.
6. (1:20) Behold, Potiphar's Hill was in the land of Ur, of Chaldea; and the Lord
broke down the altar of Elkenah, and of the Gods of the land, and utterly destroyed them,
and smote the priest that he died; and there was great mourning in Chaldea, and also in
the court of Pharaoh, which Pharaoh signifies King by royal blood. (1:21)---- Now this
King of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood
of the Canaanites, by birth. (1:22) From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus
the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land.
7. (1:23) The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter
of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which, in the Chaldea [sic], signifies Egypt, which
signifies, that which is forbidden. (1:24) When this woman discovered the land it was
under water, who afterwards settled her sons in it: And thus, from Ham, sprang that race
which preserved the curse in the land. (1:25) Now the first government of Egypt was
established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham, and it was after
the manner of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal. (1:26) Pharaoh, being a
righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his
days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first
generations, in the days of the first Patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also
Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings
of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood.
8. (1:27) Now Pharaoh being of that lineage, by which he could not have the right of
Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaoh's would fain claim it from Noah, through Ham,
therefore my father was led away by their idolatry; (1:28) but I shall endeavor hereafter to
delineate the chronology, running back from myself to the beginning of the creation, for
the records have come into my hands; which I hold unto this present time.
9. (1:29) Now, after the priest of Elkenah was smitten, that he died, there came a
fulfilment of those things which were said unto me concerning the land of Chaldea, that
there should be a famine in the land. (1:30) Accordingly a famine prevailed throughout
all the land of Chaldea, and my father was sorely tormented because of the famine, and he
repented of the evil which he had determined against me, to take away my life. (1:31) But
the records of the fathers, even the Patriarchs, concerning the right of Priesthood, the
Lord my God preserved in mine own hands, therefore a knowledge of the beginning of
the creation, and also of the planets, and of the stars, as they were made known unto the
fathers, have I kept even unto this day, and I shall endeavor to write some of these things
upon this record, for the benefit of my posterity that shall come after me.
10. (2:1) Now the Lord God caused the famine to wax sore in the land of Ur,
insomuch that Haran, my brother, died, but Terah, my father, yet lived in the land of Ur,
of the Chaldee's. (2:2) And it came to pass that I Abraham, took Sarai to wife, and Nehor,
my brother, took Milcah to wife, who were the daughters of Haran. (2:3) Now the Lord
had said unto me, Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee. (2:4) There-fore I left the land of Ur, of
the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and I took Lot, my brother's son, and his
wife, and Sarai, my wife, and also my father followed after me, unto the land which we
denominated Haran. (2:5) And the famine abated; and my father tarried in Haran and
dwelt there, as there were many flocks in Haran; and my father turned again unto his
idolatry, therefore he continued in Haran.
11. (2:6) But I, Abram, and Lot, my brother's son, prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord
appeared unto me, and said unto me, arise, and take Lot with thee, for I have purposed to
take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister, to bear my name in a strange
land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they
hearken to my voice,(2:7) for I am the Lord thy God; I dwell in Heaven, the earth is my
footstool; I stretch my hand over the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the
fire to be my chariot; I say to the mountains depart hence, and behold they are taken away
by a whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly. (2:8) My name is Jehovah, and I know the end
from the beginning, therefore, my hand shall be over thee,(2:9) and I will make of thee a
great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all
nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall
bear this ministry and priesthood unto all nations; (2:10) and I will bless them through thy
name; for as many as receive this gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be
accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as unto their father, (2:11) and I will
bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in thee, (that is, in thy
Priesthood) and in thy seed, (that is thy Priesthood,) for I give unto thee a promise that
this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed,
or the seed of the body,) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the
blessings of the gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.
12. (2:12) Now, after the Lord had withdrawn from speaking to me, and withdrawn
his face from me, I said in mine heart, thy servent [sic] has sought thee earnestly, now I
have found thee. (2:13) Thou didst send thine angel to deliver me from the Gods of
Elkenah, and I will do well to hearken unto thy voice, therefore let thy servant rise up and
depart in peace. (2:14) So I, Abram, departed as the Lord had said unto me, and Lot with
me, and I, Abram, was sixty and two years old when I departed out of Haran. (2:15) And
I took Sarai, whom I took to wife when I was in Ur, in Chaldea, and Lot, my brother's
son, and all our substance that we had gathered, and the souls that we had won in Haran,
and came forth in the way to the land of Canaan, and dwelt in tents, as we came on our
way: (2:16) therefore, eternity was our covering, and our rock, and our salvation, as we
journeyed from Haran by the way of Jershon, to come to the land of Canaan.
13. (2:17) Now I, Abram, built an altar in the land of Jershon, and made an offering
unto the Lord, and prayed that the famine might be turned away from my father's house,
that they might not perish; (2:18) and then we passed from Jershon through the land, unto
the place of Sechem. It was situated in the plains of Moreh, and we had already came
[sic] into the borders of the land of the Canaanites, and I offered sacrifice there in the
plains of Moreh, and called on the Lord devoutly because we had already come into the
land of this idolatrous nation.
TIMES AND SEASONS.
"Truth will prevail."
Vol. III No. 10] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. MARCH, 15, 1842 [Whole No. 46
The Book of Abraham.
14. (2:19) And the Lord appeared unto me in answer to my prayers, and said unto me,
unto thy seed will I give this land. (2:20) And I, Abraham, arose from the place of the
Altar which I had built unto the Lord, and removed from thence unto a mountain on the
east of Bethel, and pitched my tent there; Bethel on the West, and Hai on the East; and
there I built another altar unto the Lord, and called again upon the name of the Lord.
15. (2:21) And I, Abraham, journeyed, going on still towards the South; and there was
a continuation of a famine in the Land, and I Abraham concluded to go down into Egypt,
to sojourn there, for the famine became very grievious [sic]. (2:22) And it came to pass
when I was come near to enter into Egypt, the Lord said unto me, behold, Sarai, thy wife,
is a very fair woman to look upon, (2:23) therefore it shall come to pass when the
Egyptians shall see her, they will say she is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will
save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise,(2:24) let her say unto the Egyptians,
she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live. (2:25) And it came to pass that I, Abraham, told
Sarai, my wife, all that the Lord had said unto me; therefore say unto them, I pray thee,
thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live
because of thee.
16. (3:1) And I, Abraham, had the Urim and Thummim, which the Lord my God had
given unto me, in Ur of the Chaldees;(3:2) and I saw the stars also that they were very
great, and that one of them was nearest unto the throne of God; and there were many
great ones, which were near unto it; (3:3) and the Lord said unto me, these are the
governing ones; and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me: for I
am the Lord thy God, I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same
order of that upon which thou standest. (3:4) And the Lord said unto me, by the Urim and
Thummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and
seasons in the Revolutions thereof, that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his
manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto
that where on thou standest; this is the reckoning of the Lord's time, according to the
reckoning of Kolob.
17. (3:5) And the Lord said unto me, the planet, which is the lesser light, lesser than
that which is to rule the day, even the night, is above, or greater than that upon which
thou standest, in point of reckoning, for it moveth in order more slow: this is in order,
because it standeth above the earth upon which thou standest, therefore, the reckoning of
its time is not so many as to its number of days, and of months, and of years. (3:6) And
the Lord said unto me, now, Abraham, these two facts exist, behold thine eyes seeth it; it
is given unto thee to know the times of reckoning, and the set times, yea the set time of
the earth upon which thou standest, and the set time of the greater light, which is set to
rule the day, and the set time of the lesser light, which is set to rule the night.
18. (3:7) Now the set time of the lesser light, is a longer time as to its reckoning, than
the reckoning of the time of the earth upon which thou standest; (3:8) and where these
two facts exist, there shall be another fact above them, that is, there shall be another
planet whose reckoning of time shall be longer still; (3:9) and thus there shall be the
reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob,
which Kolob, is after the reckoning of the Lord's time; which, Kolob, is set nigh unto the
throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order of that upon
which thou standest. (3:10) And it is given unto thee, to know the set time of all the stars,
that are set to give light, until thou come near unto the throne of God.
19. (3:11) Thus I, Abraham, talked with the Lord, face to face, as one man talketh
with another; and he told me of the works which his hands had made; (3:12) and he said
unto me, my son, my son, and his hand was stretched out, behold I will shew you all
these. And he put his hand upon mine eyes, and I saw those things, which his hands had
made, which were many; and they multiplied before mine eyes, and I could not see the
end thereof: (3:13) and he said unto me this is Shinehah, (which is the sun.) And he said
unto me, Kokob, which is a star. And he said unto me, Olea, which is the moon. And he
said unto me, Kokaubeam, which signifies stars, or all the great lights, which were in the
firmament of heaven. (3:14) And it was in the night time when the Lord spake these
words unto me, I will multiply thee, and thy seed after thee, like unto these; and if thou
canst count the number of sands so shall be the number of thy seeds.
20. (3:15) And the Lord said unto me, Abraham, I shew these things unto thee, before
ye go into Egypt, that ye may declare all these words. (3:16) If two things exist, and
there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them; therefore, Kolob is
the greatest of all the Kokaubeam that thou hast seen, because it is nearest unto me:
(3:17) now if there be two things, one above the other, and the Moon be above the earth,
then it may be that a planet, or a star may exist above it, and there is nothing that the Lord
thy God shall take in his heart to do, but what he will do it: (3:18) Howbeit that he made
the greater star, as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the
other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, yet
they have no beginning, they existed before; they shall have no end, they shall exist after,
for they are Gnolaum, or Eternal.
21. (3:19) And the Lord said unto me, these two facts do exist, that there are two
spirits, one being more intelligent than the other, there shall be another more intelligent
than they: I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. (3:20) The Lord thy
God sent his angel to deliver thee from the hands of the Priest of Elkenah. (3:21) I dwell
in the midst of them all; I, now, therefore, have come down unto thee, to deliver unto thee
the works which my hands have made, wherein my wisdom excelleth them all, for I rule
in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the
intelli-gencies thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning in
the midst of all the intelli-gencies thou hast seen.
22. (3:22) Now the Lord had shewn [sic] unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that
were or-ganized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble
and great ones,(3:23) and God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the
midst of them, and he said, these, I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that
were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me, Abraham, thou art one
of them, thou wast chosen be-fore thou wast born. (3:24) And there stood one among
them that was like unto God, and he said unto those, who were with him, we will go
down, for there is space there, and we will make an Earth whereon these may dwell;
(3:25)and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the
Lord their God shall command them; (3:26) and they, who keep their first estate, shall be
added upon; and they, who keep not their first estate, shall not have glory in the same
kingdom, with those who keep their first estate; and they, who keep their second estate,
shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever.
23. (3:27) And the Lord said, who shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son
of Man, here am I, send me. And another answered and said, here am I, send me. And
the Lord said, I will send the first. (3:28) And the second was angry, and kept not his first
estate, and, at that day, many followed after him. (4:1) And then the Lord said, let us go
down; and they went down at the beginning, and they organized and formed, (that is, the
Gods,) the heavens and the earth. (4:2) And the earth, after it was formed, was empty and
desolate; because they had not formed anything but the earth: and darkness reigned upon
the face of the deep, and the spirit of the Gods was brooding upon the faces of the water.
24. (4:3) And they said, the Gods, let there be light, and there was light. (4:4) And
they, the Gods, comprehended the light, for it was bright; and they divided the light, or
caused it to be divided from the darkness, (4:5) and the Gods called the light day, and the
darkness they called night. And it came to pass that from the evening until morning, they
called night; and from the morning until the evening, they called day: and this was the
first, or the beginning of that which they called day and night.
25. (4:6) And the Gods also said let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters,
and it shall divide the waters from the waters. (4:7) And the Gods ordered the expanse,
so that it divided the waters which were under the expanse, from the waters which were
above the expanse: and it was so, even as they ordered. (4:8) And the Gods called the
expanse, heaven. And it came to pass that it was from evening until morning, that they
called night; and it came to pass that it was from morning until evening, that they called
day: and this was the second time, that they called night and day.
26. (4:9) And the Gods ordered, saying, let the waters under the heaven be gathered
together unto one place, and let the earth come up dry, and it was so, as they ordered;
(4:10) and the gods pronounced the earth dry, and the gathering together of the waters,
pronounced they great waters: and the Gods saw that they were obeyed.-- (4:11) And the
Gods said, let us prepare the earth to bring forth grass; the herb yielding seed; the fruit
tree yielding fruit, after his kind, whose seed in itself yieldeth its own likeness upon the
earth; and it was so even as they ordered. (4:12) And the Gods organized the earth to
bring forth grass from its own seed, and the herb to bring forth herb from its own seed,
yielding seed after his kind, and the earth to bring forth the tree from its own seed,
yielding fruit, whose seed could only bring forth the same, in itself, after his kind; and the
Gods saw that they were obeyed. (4:13) And it came to pass that they numbered the days;
from the evening until the morning they called night. And it came to pass from the
morning until the evening they called day; and it was the third time.
27. (4:14) And the Gods organized the lights in the expanse of the heaven, and caused
them to divide the day from the night; and organized them to be for signs, and for
seasons, and for days, and for years; (4:15) and organized them to be for lights in the
expanse of the heaven, to give light upon the earth; and it was so. (4:16) And the Gods
organized the two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule
the night; with the lesser light he set the stars, also; (4:17) and the Gods set them in the
expanse of the heavens, to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the
night, and to cause to divide the light from the darkness. (4:18) And the Gods watched
those things which they had ordered, until they obeyed. (4:19) And it came to pass, that it
was from evening until morning, that it was night; and it came to pass that it was from
morning until evening, that it was day; and it was the fourth time.
28. (4:20) And the Gods said let us prepare the waters to bring forth abundantly the
moving creatures that hath life; and the fowl that they may fly above the earth, in the
open expanse of heaven. (4:21) And the gods prepared the waters that they might bring
forth great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters were to bring
forth abundantly after their kind; and every winged fowl after their kind; and the Gods
saw that they would be obeyed, and that their plan was good. (4:22) And the Gods said
we will bless them and cause them to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the
seas, or great waters; and cause the fowl to multiply in the earth. (4:23) And it came to
pass that it was from evening until morning, that they called night; and it came to pass
that it was from morning until evening, that they called day; and it was the fifth time.
29. (4:24) And the Gods prepared the earth to bring forth the living creature after his
kind, cattle and creeping things, and beast of the earth after their kind; and it was so as
they had said. And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind;
and it was so as they had said. (4:25) And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the
beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the
earth after their kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.(4:26) And the Gods took
counsel among themselves, and said, let us go down, and form man in our image, after
our likeness, and we will give them dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing, that
creepeth upon the earth. (4:27) So the Gods went down to organize man in their own
image, in the image of the Gods, to form they him, male and female, to form they them:
(4:28) and the Gods said we will bless them. And the Gods said we will cause them to be
fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and to have dominion over
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth
upon the earth. (4:29) And the Gods said, behold, we will give them every herb bearing
seed that shall come upon the face of all the earth, and every tree which shall have fruit
upon it, yea the fruit of the tree, yielding seed to them we will give it, it shall be for their
meat;(4:30) and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every
thing that creepeth upon the earth, behold we will give them life, and also we will give to
them every green herb for meat, and all these things shall be thus organized. (4:31) And
the Gods said we will do every thing that we have said, and organize them; and, behold,
they shall be very obedient. And it came to pass that it was from evening until morning,
they called night; and it came to pass that it was from morning until evening, they called
day; and they numbered the sixth time.
30. (5:1) And thus we will finish the heavens and the earth, and all the hosts of them.
(5:2) And the Gods said among themselves, on the seventh time, we will end our work,
which we have counselled; and we will rest on the seventh time from all our work which
we have counselled. (5:3) And the Gods concluded upon the seventh time, because, that
on the seventh time they would rest from all their works, which they, the Gods,
counselled among themselves to form, and sanctified it. And thus were their decisions, at
the time that they counselled among themselves to form the heavens and the earth. (5:4)
And the Gods came down and formed these, the generations of the heavens, and of the
earth, when they were formed, in the day that the Gods formed the earth and the heavens,
(5:5) according to all that, which they had said, concerning every plant of the field, before
it was in the earth, and every herb of the field, before it grew; for the Gods had not caused
it to rain upon the earth, when they counselled to do them; and had not formed a man to
till the ground;(5:6) but there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face
of the ground. (5:7) And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his
spirit, that is the man's spirit, and put it into him, and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life, and man became a living soul.
31. (5:8) And the Gods planted a garden, eastward in Eden, and there they put the
man, whose spirit they had put into the body, which they had formed. (5:9) And out of
the ground made the Gods to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for
food: the tree of life, also, in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good
and evil. (5:10) There was a river running out of Eden, to water the garden, and from
thence it was parted and became into four heads. (5:11) And the Gods took the man and
put him in the Garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it: (5:12) and the Gods commanded
the man, saying, of every tree of the Garden, thou mayest freely eat, (5:13) but of the tree
of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, for in the time that thou eatest
thereof, thou shalt surely die. Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord's time,
which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet, the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his
reckoning.
32. (5:14) And the Gods said, Let us make an help meet for the man, for it is not good
that the man should be alone, therefore we will form an help meet for him. (5:15) And
the Gods caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and he slept, and they took one of his
ribs, and closed up the flesh in the stead thereof, (5:16) and the rib which the Gods had
taken from man, formed they a woman, and brought her unto the man. (5:17) And Adam
said this was bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, now she shall be called woman,
because she was taken out of man;(5:18) therefore shall a man leave his father and his
mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. (5:19) And they were
both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (5:20) And out of the ground
the Gods formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought unto
Adam to see what he would call them; and whatsoever Adam called every living creature,
that should be the name thereof. (5:21) And Adam gave names to all cattle, to the fowl of
the air, to every beast of the field; and for Adam there was found an help meet for him.
A FACSIMILE FROM THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM, NO. 2,
[A hypocephalus-Not included in ascii version]
EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE CUT.
Fig. 1. Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the celestial, or the residence of
God. First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. The
measurement according to celestial time; which, celestial time, signifies one day to a
cubit. One day, in Kolob, is equal to a thousand years, according to the measurement of
this earth, which is called by the Egyptians Jah-oh-eh.
Fig. 2. Stands next to Kolob, called by the Egyptians Oliblish, which is the next
grand governing creation near to the celestial or the place where God resides; holding the
key of power also, pertaining to other planets; as revealed from God to Abraham, as he
offered sacrifice upon an altar, which he had built unto the Lord.
Fig. 3. Is made to represent God, sitting upon his throne, clothed with power and
authority; with a crown of eternal light upon his head; representing, also, the grand Key
words of the Holy Priesthood, as revealed to Adam in the Garden of Eden, as also to
Seth, Noah, Melchisedek [sic], Abraham and all to whom the Priesthood was revealed.
Fig. 4. Answers to the hebrew word Raudeeyang, signifying expanse, or the
firmament of the heavens: also, a numerical figure, in Egyptian, signifying one thousand;
answering to the measuring of the time of Oliblish, which is equal with Kolob in its
revolution and in its measuring of time.
Fig. 5, Is called in Egyptian Enish-go-on-dosh; that is one of the governing planets
also; and is said by the Egyptians to be the Sun, and to borrow its light from Kolob
through the medium of Kae-e-vanrash, which is the grand Key, or in other words, the
governing power, which governs fifteen other fixed planets or stars, as also Floeese or the
Moon, the earth and the Sun in their annual revolutions. This planet receives its power
through the medium of Kli flos-is-es, or Hah-ko-kau-beam, the stars represented by
numbers 22, and 23, receiving light from the revolutions of Kolob.
Fig. 6, Represents this earth in its four quarters.
Fig. 7, Represents God sitting upon his throne, revealing, through the heavens, the
grand Key words of the Priesthood; as, also, the sign of the Holy Ghost unto Abraham, in
the form of a dove.
Fig. 8, Contains writing that cannot be revealed unto the world; but is to be had in the
Holy Temple of God.
Fig. 9, Ought not to be revealed at the present time.
Fig. 10, Also.
Fig. 11, Also. If the world can find out these numbers, So let it be, Amen.
Figures 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 21, will be given in the own due time of the
Lord. The above translation is given as far as we have any right to give, at the present
time.
TIMES AND SEASONS
"Truth will prevail."
Vol. III. No. 14.] CITY OF NAUVOO, ILL. MAY 16, 1842. [Whole No. 50
A FAC-SIMILE FROM THE BOOK OF ABRAHAM NO. 3.
[Not included in ascii version]
EXPLANATION OF CUT ON FIRST PAGE.
1. Abraham sitting upon Pharaoh's throne, by the politeness of the king; with a crown
upon his head, representing the priesthood; as emblematical of the grand presidency in
heaven; with the sceptre [sic] of justice, and judgment in his hand.
2. King Pharaoh; whose name is given in the characters above his head.
3. Signifies Abraham, in Egypt; referring to Abraham, as given in the 9th No. of the
Times & Seasons.
4. Prince of Pharaoh, King of Egypt; as written above the hand.
5. Shulem; one of the kings principal waiters; as represented by the characters above his
hand.
6. Olimlah; a slave belonging to the prince. Abraham is reasoning upon the principles of
astronomy, in the kings Court.